Device is overrated.
People are saying he is a TOP5 player but he's not
Magisk will probably take over as the star of Astralis in a next year
Device's prime is over, now from year to year he will slowly become worse
But I'm not denying the fact that he is one of the greatest or even the greatest counter strike player ever
But I'm sick of hearing people calling him one of the best just because of achievments team wise

Dev1ce is probably the best example of how AWPing safely (not being overly agressive or taking risks) on a highly skilled team can lead to statistical bias.
He has BY FAR the easiest role on the greatest CS team we've ever seen. Yet that doesn't seem to click in peoples brains - including the HLTV staff. If his stats are only narrowly better than Magisk or Xyp9x, people give him the MVP award and say that he was the best, even though Magisk and Xyp9x play much harder roles. They'll defend the decision by saying that they're going on impact not just total kills - but being impactful with the AWP (such as opening up a bombsite) is much easier than winning a 1vs3 clutch with a rifle.

"BY FAR the easiest role" ...
Yeah, guess around 200 players could replace him or replicate his career any day ...
We will of course not discuss the ability to stay with dupreeh and Xyp9x for 6 years by simply being a great team player and a good friend.
There's nothing special or unique about him: No flashy moves, that makes the kids go wild ... just holding angles, stat padding against eco buys ... And all that.
Originally a rifler ... just being lucky with the deagle ... for more than half a decade ...
Sooooo easy, right?!

I'm not saying he isn't a good player.
For the record, I was a big fan of Dev1ce before he even started AWPing. I said that he would one day be the best player in the world back in 2014 when he only just made it into the HLTV top 20.
But I do think he has benefitted immensely from the AWPer role and has picked up far more MVP awards than he ever would've received without it.
Even s1mple called the AWP the easiest weapon, and his performances dropped off noticeably when he went back to rifling for a while.

I think the key factor here is focusing on individual stats compared to results achieved by the team.
I only see around 20 star players on the AWP and a similar number/few more of other players picking it up from time to time.
But we all know what NaVi has achieved lately compared to S1mple's individual stats.
It is simply NOT important!
As mentioned elsewhere you as an upcoming player are SOLELY and EXCLUSIVELY focused on your individual skills since you are competing against sooo much talent out there.
When (if) you reach the pro level you have to TRANSFORM into becoming a TEAM player.
It seems that S1mple actually made that transformation during 2019 and guess what happened?
NaVi reached top #1 and even kicked Astralis' a ... eeeh .. thoroughly on their way.
In other words: He grew up!
Now S1mple FINALLY has some serious hard hitters around him!
Yes, ups and downs in form and they missed the final in ESL Pro League, but that goes for all of us.
In short: Focusing on individual skills is for kids.
Playing for the TEAM is for professionals!

"and his performances dropped off noticeably when he went back to rifling for a while".
LMAO what a bullshit. S1mple wasnt an awper like a half of the year and still has second best stats in 2019 against awper Zywoo.
Average LAN rating in 2019:
S1mple 1.29 (Best 1+ rating streak 30)
Zywoo 1.30 (Best 1+ rating streak 19)
At this moment s1mple's best perfomance was back in 2018.
Average LAN rating in 2018:
S1mple 1.35 (Best 1+ rating streak 22)
That 0.6 difference doesn't look like "noticeable dropoff". I think that his stats was a little worster because his teammates where even shittier than in 2018.
Zeus was even more washed up, flamie had worst year in his carreer, elec had a real dropoff at first half of the 2019 and guardian was so bad that i cant even describe that.

Keeping your nerves in check and always delivering, being consisent and only utilizing your asigned role in your team makes a great player and is not to be underestimated.
simple wants to be a one man show in a team game, sorry, wrong game for that, this is clearly reflected in his team achievements. He will fight, argue and bully his team mates into baiting for him, making them feel insecure and underperform so he can come and mop up a few exit frags before saving. His rating is extremely boosted due to this.

at first s1mple has most flash assists in the team in 2019 and 2020.
at second in 2018 electronic had most eco frags and edward had most exit frags in the team.
meanwhile in 2018 s1mple had highest overall k/d and rating in whole cs history so his rating wasnt "extremely boosted due to this".
at third s1mple has most entry kills in 2018 and and he was third entry fragger in 2019. And in 2020 s1mple already has most entry kills (and highest entry winrate).
at fourth s1mple has clutch record and highest 1v2 and 1v3 clutch winrate in whole csgo history. So why he need to rush and die first?
at fifth u are retarded hater.

I would not say that his role is easy but i would 100% say that his role allows him to have good stats 95% of the time. And as we know good stats is all this community cares about. He is still valuable to his team he is just highly overrated when compared to players like s1mple or niko.

Hes really bad, yet hes toying with basically everyone on FaZe, mouz and OG lol. Hes a top3 player in his role, deal with it.
Playing on the #1 team in the world with 4 players equal to him just makes him seem alot less crazy than players on his level who are on teams with much wider skill gap.
Being the top dog on a team like Astralis for years isn't easy when you've got 4 other players on the team who would grab a spot on ANY team in the world in their position.
Comparing players in CS:GO 5on5 is pretty dumb as well. Everyone plays different roles and the objective is for the TEAM to succeed. Dev1ce, in his role and what he does for his team and the achievements hes made throughout the years definitely puts him above 99% of the players in the top scene, no doubt

+1
Clever observation!
People in here are SOOOO focused on individual skills. "This guy is better than that guy" ...
Which any upcoming talent would do: To achieve a spot in the pro scene you have to compete on an individual level.
They just don't get it ... when you finally GET there you need to become a TEAM player.
That seems to be an unfathomable concept for the youngsters in here.

I find it hard to think of a decent conversation with you with observation skills like that: "Isn't skilled at all" about a player who's been in the player-of-the-year-discussion for 5 years straight, most MVP's of all time, 4 Majors, a Grand Slam as well as being together with dupreeh and Xyp9x for 6 years.
Defensive AWP'ing style like no other, originally a rifler, deadly with a deagle, even clutching abilities ...
Ups and downs, yes ... like we all have and he even said so recently in an interview, but it seems that you try to make "lesser of him" instead of just observing facts, results and stats.
You simply can't be a "bad" player with his achievements and career.
Some may be better individually, but he may not give a dime:
He is a part of a TEAM!
Zywoo? In a bit of a slump ... because he's growing up, right?!
S1mple is shining like never before! Because he has a TEAM now!
Did that help?

Did this "We judge him on HIS INDIVIDUAL SKILL because we ARE TALKING ABOUT DEVICE NOT ASTRALIS" Not tell you we're talking about Device, and DEVICE only? not Astralis. HIS TEAM has the most achieved trophys, HIS TEAM has the most majors, HIS TEAM is the most Successful, AND HIS TEAM has a grand slam. Device couldn't get ONE without anyone in his team, DEVICE wouldn't be with a team if it wasn't for astralis. Because if hes so good why didn't any team buy him out before. For Example, Na'Vi wanted kennyS over Guardian. Team Liquid wanted S1mple, so they got him, then Na'Vi wanted him so they got him. But why is it. NO ONE wanted device?
The Fact you don't know the difference between a team and a player shows that you're retarded. The fact you think he is good because hes been on the top 5 since he started is retarded. He is a ECO FRAGGER, a STAT HUNTER, and a FRAG HUNTER.
I wouldn't hate device so much if delusional fans LIKE YOU wouldn't be so delusional and SEE that device isn't the GOAT. And Don't say you don't think that EVERYONE thats a fan of device thinks hes a goat. So don't even say he is.
I hope one day you get your facts right, know what the definition of a team and play.
Definition of Team: a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.
Definition of player: a person taking part in a sport or game.
See the difference???? See how we are talking about the player?

Are you REALLY that stupid, that you think you can judge device's performance OUT of his team!? He is performing ON the team - the best the world have ever seen. He is NOT a one man show. Holy moly, how you are cringe!

Okay.
It didn't help.
My point was that it is pointless to discuss individual player skills.
Goat or not ... He doesn't care and I for sure don't.
And I guess that no team has the money to buy him.
He simply doesn't want to leave his TEAM.
"Buddies through thick and thin" seems to be the strongest concept we've seen in CS GO history. Other teams go for roster changes all the time.
He saw long ago where his best chances were to WIN the big prizes.
Now ... DAT's a clever player!
Delusional?
Hmmm ... I just look at the numbers.
GOAT?
Team: Yes.
Dev1ce?
Irrelevant.

Find it hard to fuck and read at the same time ...
And I'm saying:
The "greatest individual player of all time" is a discussion for youngsters.
It SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER AT THE PRO LEVEL!
As an upcoming young star it means EVERYTHING.
At the toplevel it means NOTHING.
Karrigan? Oh dear ... have we heard numerous discussions about his lack of individual skills ...
but wait ... he must bring SOMETHING to his TEAM, right?!
Thanx anyway for a decent discussion.

Next time someone talks about device, do everyone a favor, don't comment on it at all. Because its about device not astralis.
But thanks for being carm and collected and no as delusional as most device fans are, you're rare.

He ... I like to participate in these discussions!
My "opponents" fall in - mainly - two categories:
Those who can bring arguments to the table
and those going for "primary school names" ... or "personal attacks" if you like.
(I was once called a "shit cunt" ... ;O) entertaining, but hopeless.)
You probably figured out which ones I like!
Worthy opponents, good "fights" ... or discussions and exchange og viewpoints ... and then we shake hands afterwards!
Enjoy the day, my friend!

That's my entire point:
Dev1ce is playing for his team. That's why I brought it up.
I see your flair: KennyS. He doesn't thrive if he can't do "KennyS" things (which are absolutely wonderful to watch!) ... but it is simply not enough.
None of Astralis' players top any individual list, but apparently that's not important.
I guess we don't get any further here, but that's fine.
Gottago!

You might have touched the fringes of this idea ...
And I might have mentioned in passing that it is pointless to discuss individual skills, especially regarding Astralis. Star players, superheroes and Fast Guns In The West look cool on tv ... but DON'T win the big money.
Is there ANYTHING you need to add here?
;O)

I slowly, gradually but vaguely begin to understand your viewpoint ... that Dev1ce's individual skills is the topic here ... where I pointed out that it's irrelevant in his case ... compared to Zywoo, S1mple, KennyS and others ...
Which - as well - might have occured to you 50 posts ago ...
Let's move on, shall we? ;O)

He may not be too worried though:
Most MVP's is "individual recognition enough" for him - so to speak.
He's got FOUR stars on his shirt, and Zywoo, S1mple and/or any other player of the year would trade any day! ;O)

I know, I feel stupid now, but tbh I'm just sick of envious people who want to devalue pro players' achievements and success by calling them overrated while they probably haven't achieved shit in anything. It hurts my feelings, that's why I said that thing

People can be overrated, yet not be bad. For example, to say KennyS is currently the best awper would be overrating his skill. Now to say he’s a bad awper though. And the same goes for underrated. Underrated players aren’t necessarily good, they may just not be bad. For example Olof fits that category imo.

If anybody is ovverrated in Astralis its Magisk. Just another braindead star aimer, cs has plenty of them, easiest to be replaced. That being said i have to admit hes great aimer but still plenty of that in the pro scene.

He has got the best team in history but he isn't so good. In all maps he Has the best position hes baiting teammates too Magisk never baits and have worst position than him and not playing with awp and still same statistic. In my opinion the best denmark player is definilitly Magiskboy

bro dev1ce is goat and best player in best team in cs go history. if you say he is individually not good then go and watch astralis match again and again on t-side he always do entry fragging when he have rifle in his hand, on other side if we look at simple he always baits his teammates get info then fight.
So Stop crying about dev1ce. He is one of the best player counter strike have seen.

I always thought device was overrated .. but gotta be honest man .. apart from the fact that he moves like a robot, he's extremely good in this game .. just not as flashy as s1mple or zywoo for example.

LOL. He's the most important fragger in the team. He's easily a top 5 individual in CSGO. He can easily be the best player on the server even when he loses. Just stfu. And he's literally the opposite of playing for stats.